Visa Ban for European Critics of Online Harm Marks a New Front in US Free Speech Disputes
Five Europeans challenging online-harm content have been targeted by U.S. visa bans, reflecting escalating enforcement tensions related to the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and the UK Online Safety Act (OSA). Thierry Breton, the architect of the DSA, is among those affected by these visa restrictions.
This development comes amid broader disputes over online-safety regulation and free speech across the U.S., EU, and UK. Earlier this month, Elon Musk's platform X was fined €120 million (£105 million) for breaching the DSA. Musk had also previously sued the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) in 2023, but this case was dismissed last year, viewed as an attempt to punish speech.
In July, U.S. Representative Jim Jordan led a delegation to discuss the UK’s OSA with the Labour government and communications regulator Ofcom. In May, the U.S. State Department announced it would block entry for foreign nationals who censor Americans. Ofcom, seeking clarity on these planned visa restrictions, fined 4chan £20,000 in October for an OSA breach; 4chan has since sued Ofcom in the U.S., alleging that enforcement violates Americans' freedom of speech.
These visa bans symbolize ongoing cross-border friction over the implementation and enforcement of online-safety rules between the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom.
